Heres' SOME NEWS (Art is reliable):
Thursday December 3, 7:03 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SkyConnect & ACTV To Offer New Opportunities for
Digital Advertising
Companies to Integrate ACTV's Proprietary Digital Programming
Capabilities With SkyConnect's Digital Programming Insertion
Technology
ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 1998-- ACTV, Inc. (NASDAQ:IATV - news) and SkyConnect, Inc.
today announced an agreement to integrate ACTV's proprietary ''Individualized Television'' digital programming capabilities
with SkyConnect's Digital Programming Insertion (DPI) technology.
As a result, the companies plan to offer cable operators, advertising interconnect services, and advertisers one of the most
powerful addressable media vehicles ever available: ''Individualized Advertising.''
''Individualized Advertising'' by ACTV gives advertisers the ability to effectively deliver their messages to consumers in a
fragmented digital cable environment, while giving consumers a choice in the television advertising they see. ACTV's patented
software technology makes possible the delivery of both viewer-chosen and viewer-profiled commercials. ACTV is
demonstrating its digital programming capabilities at The Western Show in Anaheim December 1-4 (ACTV Booth No. 3262,
Hall C).
SkyConnect offers the most advanced and complete digital video management solutions in the industry, and has installed video
servers in over 300 cable television headends. All interaction with SkyConnect's digital ad insertion system is done through
SkyVision, the company's centralized system control, which provides a smooth migration path to DPI.
In addition, SkyVision's centralized control allows customers to economically and efficiently upgrade and expand server
capability without physically reconfiguring the system. Yesterday, SkyConnect (Booth No. 152) unveiled the latest in DPI
technology.
''ACTV provides a forward-thinking, advertiser-friendly solution for delivering targeted commercials via digital cable, and we
can offer it to our partners almost immediately,'' said Michael J. Pohl, president, SkyConnect. ''As an integrated part of our ad
insertion system, we will work together to make the advent of digital cable a profitable experience for cable operators and
advertisers, and to help improve the television experience for subscribers.''
David Reese, president of ACTV Entertainment, said, ''The emergence of digital cable offers an incredible opportunity to
improve the effectiveness and efficiency of television advertising. We believe digital advertising solutions like 'Individualized
Advertising' will play a key role in the success of the cable industry's digital initiative.''
Reese concluded, ''Working together, ACTV and SkyConnect will give viewers and advertisers more control than ever
before, while helping cable operators, programmers and marketers navigate the uncharted waters of advertising in the digital
world.''
The agreement provides ACTV with an opportunity to enter the advertising business and provides SkyConnect with a more
compelling and valuable product to offer its partners. The integration of ACTV's proprietary digital capabilities with
SkyConnect's DPI technology will offer a direct mail-approach to television advertising, based on viewers' demographic
profiles.
ACTV's software, when included in digital set-top boxes, builds a profile of each digital household. Profiles can be
downloaded to individual set-tops based on demographic information supplied by the cable subscriber, or can be ''learned''
by the software, based on responses to on-screen prompts and other viewing habits.
Studies show ACTV increases a viewer's recall of television commercials by 250 percent when compared to a viewer
watching the same programming and commercials without ACTV's patented programming enhancements. For example, rather
than having every viewer see the same commercial for a Toyota Camry during a program, ACTV allows viewers to choose a
commercial from among a variety of Toyota models.
Prior to a commercial break, an on-screen prompt enables viewers to choose which commercial they want to see by pushing a
button on their remote. During subsequent commercial breaks, ACTV's software can remember viewers' earlier choices and
send another commercial with additional information or an advertisement for other relevant products based on each individual
viewer profile.
ACTV uses patented software technologies to create ''Individualized Television,'' which takes traditional television
programming into the digital age. Using a standard digital set-top box and remote control, a viewer can switch between the
regular programming feed and a multitude of personal options and features. The proprietary software remembers viewer
commands and responses to on-screen prompts, enabling the television to ''talk back'' to an unlimited number of viewers with
individually-tailored television programming and advertising content.
Through a previously announced agreement, ACTV's software is integrated into all General Instrument (GI) digital set-top
boxes currently in the marketplace, and will be included in all future generations of GI's digital set-tops. No additional
hardware is required in consumer homes to receive ACTV-enhanced programming and advertising.
''Individualized Television'' can enhance a variety of television genres, including sporting events, news, game shows, children's
programming and advertising. ACTV plans to launch enhanced regional digital cable networks across the country under the
FOX Sports Net Plus brand name and expects to offer other marquee digital programming via a joint venture with Liberty
Media Corporation.
Based in New York, ACTV uses patented software technologies to create state-of-the-art programming for the rapidly
emerging digital cable television and Internet platforms.
The company has relationships with major players in cable and television, and the leaders in digital technology, including:
Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LBTYA - news, LBTYB - news); General Instrument Corporation (NYSE: GIC -
news); FOX Sports Net; Tele-Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCOMA - news); Cablevision's (AMEX: CVC - news)
Rainbow Sports; The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO - news); and The Sarnoff Corporation. ACTV Entertainment
and ACTV Net are subsidiaries of ACTV, Inc. ACTV Entertainment and Liberty Media formed a joint venture, LMC/IATV
Events, earlier this year. ACTV's Web site can be found at actv.com.
Founded in 1992, SkyConnect provides digital ad insertion solutions and offers video management applications in the cable ad
insertion, Near-Video-on-Demand and Video-on-Demand industries. SkyConnect's state-of-the-art technology includes
digital ad insertion hardware and software, traffic and billing software, Pay-Per-View software, and Internet services.
SkyConnect's list of notable clients includes Adelphia Communications, InterMedia, Jones Intercable, Marcus Cable,
MediaOne, Tele-Communications, Inc. (TCI), Tele-Media and Time Warner Cable, as well as local advertising interconnect
services such as Adlink in Los Angeles and the Bay Area Interconnect. Headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, SkyConnect is
located on the Internet at skyconnect.com.
Disclaimer: This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or
performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements which are other than statements of historical facts. These
statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, product and service demand and acceptance,
changes in technology, economic conditions, the impact of competition and pricing, government regulation, and other risks
defined in this document and in statements filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such
forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, and whether made by or on behalf of the Company, are expressly
qualified by the cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking
statements. In addition, the company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof.
Contact:
Bratskeir & Company (for ACTV, Inc.)
Mike Rosen, 212/679-2233
Cell: 917/693-3098
Hotel: 714/999-0990
or
SkyConnect, Inc.
Ron Barracks, 303/218-9166
or Pam Avery/Judy Hartley, 303/433-4922 |
